Неизвестный - 2. Beyond The Breakwater

“Oh no,” Tory gasped, sagging slightly against the Jeep. We can’t lose Bri.

“Bri and another girl…another cadet…they were trying to evacuate the upper floors…when it collapsed.”

Forcing herself to act, to think despite the panic eclipsing her reason, Tory went to him and put her hand on his forearm. “Nelson, is she hurt?”

“Missing,” he rasped. His hands were trembling as he rubbed them over his face. “She…didn’t come out.”

“Let’s go,” she said urgently, but before she could move, the rest of it hit her. Nelson had come for her. She drew a sharp breath as pain lanced through her. If Bri is missing, then where is…but you know, don’t you? Reese would go after her. She would never leave her injured in the field. Especially not Bri. Reese would never leave Bri.

“Oh god, Nelson…not both of them!”

He could only nod, his terror boundless.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

As Nelson rocketed the cruiser east on Route 6, covering the few miles between Tory’s home and the scene of the conflagration, Tory stared straight ahead through the windshield, one hand on the door handle, the other beneath her sweatshirt, resting against her abdomen. Beneath her fingers, hope swelled even as an agony of despair hammered at the edges of her consciousness. She could see the fire now and the dozens of rescue vehicles and great clouds of dark smoke billowing into the night sky.

Don’t leave me, sweetheart. I can’t do this without you. Please, darling, please.

Nelson slammed to a halt, and Tory was out of the vehicle almost before it had stopped. Then, she faltered, realizing she had nowhere to go. The scene was one of barely-controlled pandemonium. Frantically, she searched for someone recognizable and finally saw Jeff Lyons, one of the officers from the Provincetown force.

“Jeff!” She rushed toward him as quickly as her unfamiliarly heavy body and her cumbersome leg brace would allow. “Have you seen Reese or Bri?”

He shook his head, his expression dazed. “Not since they went off to evacuate the Gull Crest Motel. What does the chief say?”

“He doesn’t know anything either.” Impatiently, she turned away. Panic threatened to choke her. “God, isn’t anyone in charge around here?”

As if by instinct, she made her way through the masses of milling people and ended up near the EMT transport vehicles. Where are you, Reese? Where in God’s name are you?

After five fruitless minutes of searching, her hair was drenched with sweat, her face was covered with soot from the ash-filled air, and her control was in tatters. A horrific surge of desolation swept through her and tears overflowed her stinging lids without her even being aware of them. I can’t do this. I can’t, I can’t.

From close by, a man shouted, “Somebody get a gurney. We’ve got walking-wounded coming.”

Tory jerked around at the sound of his voice and frantically searched the edges of the beach forest that bordered one side of the access road where most of the rescue vehicles had parked. It was difficult to see through the haze created by the combination of emergency lights and swirling smoke, but eventually she could discern a lone figure emerging from the artificial mists, carrying some kind of bundle. She blinked the tears and smoke from her eyes and was able to make out that the bundle was a person, and the grime-covered apparition carrying the victim was Reese.

The relief was so acute that Tory couldn’t breathe. Even seeing her lover more clearly with each step wasn’t enough to banish the terrible ache that had seized her heart. She started to run.

The EMTs reached Reese well before Tory did and relieved her of her burden. Still, she had barely relinquished the frail, elderly man to the care of the rescue team before Tory flung herself into her arms.

“I thought you were dead,” Tory gasped. Her hands were all over Reese, stroking her chest and her back and up and down her arms, searching for injury. “Are you hurt? Are you hurt?”

“Tory, I’m all right.” Reese grabbed Tory’s hands, stilling her frenzied motion, and then gathered her close. Tory’s heart was beating wildly against her chest, and with her lips close to her lover’s ear, Reese said gently, “Tory, listen to me. Stop, love. Stop. I’m all right.”

The sound of Reese’s voice, low and steady and calm, brought instant surcease to Tory’s terror. Suddenly, she regained control and, after taking a long slow breath, was able to separate herself enough from Reese to look into her face. “Where’s Bri?”

“Back in the forest. She’s with an injured officer. Bri wouldn’t leave her, and I had to get this fellow to the EMTs.” Reese framed Tory’s face with both hands and kissed her swiftly. “Tory, I need to go back for Bri.”

With every second, Tory was feeling stronger, more in control. Reese was safe. And there was still much work to be done. Her work. “I’m going back to the ambulances to see if I can help out.”

“You shouldn’t even be here. You sure shouldn’t be working.” Reese grabbed for her hand. “Go home, Tor. Please. It’s crazy out here.”

Finally, Tory smiled. “You’re a fine one to talk, Sheriff. Go do what you have to do and come back as soon as you can.” She rested her palm for an instant against Reese’s cheek. “Please don’t be gone long. I can’t stand it right now.”

Forty-five minutes later, Allie sat with her back against the tire of an EMT van while Bri crouched beside her, holding a cup of coffee.

“Are you sure you’re not cold?” Bri asked worriedly.

Allie shook her head and smiled wanly. “Not really. You don’t have to stay with me, you know.”

“That’s okay.”

“Boy, I’m never going to live this down,” Allie said in disgust. “My first big assignment and I end up falling on my ass.”

“I don’t think anyone is going to put you down for twisting your ankle while jumping from a burning building.” Bri swiped sweat from her face and grimaced as she brushed against the burned spot on her neck. “Besides, it could happen to anybody.”

“Sure.” A second passed, then Allie said, “You haven’t called me. I kind of thought it might be because of that girlfriend you mentioned.”

“Yeah.”

“Because, you know, I thought things were pretty hot between us.”

Flushing, Bri thought about waking up with Allie naked beside her. She remembered it almost as a dream, and the memory was exciting. Her eyes moved slowly over Allie’s face, appreciating how attractive she was. Even scratched and sweat-streaked, she was sexy. “Yeah, it was hot. You’re hot. Totally.”

“But?”

“But I’m in love with someone.”

“It wouldn’t have to be anything real serious, you know.” Allie brushed Bri’s hand with her fingertips. “Just a little fun. I think about you…a lot.”

“I can’t,” Bri said. And it didn’t feel like a sacrifice at all.

“Tory,” a male voice said from behind her.

Tory turned, frowning, and then exclaimed, “Dan! What are you doing here?”

The solidly built, dark-haired man shrugged, grinning a bit shyly. “Reese called me and said that you might need relief about now.”

“Oh, she did, did she?” Tory raised an eyebrow, uncertain whether she was actually angry or not. She was tired, and she had a headache. It must be after five in the morning, and she was working on very little sleep.

Dan Riley frowned as he took in his new employer. She was clearly exhausted and the fingers that brushed absently at the strands of damp hair clinging to her cheeks trembled faintly. “Well,” he said briskly, “let me finish triaging the remaining patients. You should go home.”

Before Tory could respond, another voice interjected, “A very good suggestion, Dr. Riley.”